John Lennon would be 70 years old if he was living today. But 30 years ago on this date, he was shot in front of his New York apartment and died at the age of 40.

During his short life, Lennon became one of the most influential people of the 20th century. As a member of The Beatles, his career in music launched him into the uppermost stratospheres of fame. His untimely death made him somewhat of a martyr and only solidified his iconic status as one of the greatest artists and activists of his time.

Along with fellow front man Paul McCartney, Lennon was part of the most successful songwriting duo in the history of rock’n’roll. They helped change the sound and direction of not only rock music but all contemporary music of the age.

In less than a decade in the ’60s, The Beatles evolved from being a wildly popular teen-idol band from Great Britain to being a groundbreaking team of artists who truly broke the mold. They experimented with new sounds, blurred the lines between different musical genres and broadened the horizons of aspiring musicians for generations to come.

Lennon’s post-Beatle legacy was equally as influential, though at times controversial. During a time of war in the ’70s, he and wife Yoko Ono preached peace. His role as a vocal figure in the anti-war movement – along with his ability to attract attention and influence so many people – nearly got him deported from the United States by the Nixon Administration during the Vietnam War.

Through his storied life, Lennon was far from perfect. He obviously made some poor or at least questionable choices on a number of occasions all while dealing with the bright and unblinking spotlight of fame and a rags-to-riches fortune, but his independent, rebellious and avant-garde character helped make him think outside the box, and he was able to connect with people around the world on a human level in a way that few others before him have.

He urged everyone to “Give Peace a Chance.” If he was alive today, we imagine that even at a seasoned age he would be offering new and creative ways to deliver the same message.